When Michael Phelps started shattering the Gold Medal record for the 2008
Olympics he gave everyone an education in persistence. Surely Michael
practiced by swimming hundreds of laps to gain the endurance and expertise
required to succeed. Something had to come from within to inspire him to
diligently swim at a high level every time he jumped into a pool. Winning can
breed winning when there is an expectation of success. It is clear that
Michael Phelps expects to dominate the field of swimmers each time he dives
into a pool. He is not looking to the left or right to see his competitors he
is always looking straight ahead. Michael's goal is right in front of him and
he is steadfast in his desire to collect every Gold Medal that he can.

Olympians learn how to pay attention to details that are important aspects
of winning. They never take a day off from practice. They understand that
there are hundreds of other athletes who are practicing eight to twelve hours
a day to try to get an edge during their next competition. A slight movement
in a body position while in the water can determine how fast a swimmer can
increase their speed.

There is a great lesson to learn from Olympians. It is important for
personal growth. Olympians that win Gold Medals learn how to master their
fears. They understand that fear is "false evidence that appears real." They
spend a lot of time contemplating in their mind first how they will overcome
their fears. Giving in to fear can take away from a person's physical and
mental health. Olympic athletes frequently go to the doctors to report pains
that they cannot explain. Ongoing fear can result in stress that strips ones
confidence in any of life's endeavors.

A great strategy that the athletes use is to take the limits off their
thought life. They know that past failures can serve as a marker to identify a
new method to accomplish their goal. Olympians accept challenges as a fact of
life. It's amazing how they wait for four years to perform in one or more
events. It takes real determination and continuous competition around the
globe to measure an Olympian's abilities. Olympians must have nerves of steel
to overcome any anxiety they experience when they are ready to start any
event. Olympic athletes participate in a competition in a world where a tenth
of a second makes a difference between a Gold or Silver Medal.

Individuals who participate in the Olympics teach students of all ages the
value of persistence. Many of the fears that the students have are based on
past challenges in the classroom of life. Always be ready to pick yourself up
and to prepare for the next challenge. Michael Phelps is an example of how to
approach each learning experience with enthusiasm and excitement about your
potential accomplishments. Each day is an opportunity to move one step closer
to your goal. Just like the top athlete you can go for the Gold if you
practice and persist.

For twenty years, Dr. Jones has delivered presentations on numerous
topics including how to study, leadership, effective communication, and
innovative management practices. Working with students has enabled Dr.
Jones to have a complete understanding of the challenges their facing.

Personal Development - No One Can Stop
You

The problems of the world can be eliminated and solved by individual people
like you and me, and through no other means than by those people purely
concentrating on personal development and personal growth. We need to be able
to recognize the essential humanity in ourselves and also in the people we
meet.

Every time you open a newspaper or watch TV, listen to the radio or
search the internet it's the same thing nowadays: nothing but a seemingly
endless succession of scenes of killing, robbery, rape, bombings, war and
nastiness.

It can make you depressed if you let it.

Many commentators talk and write endlessly about the reasons for it all,
and especially in the case of wars, governments and leaders of countries spend
a lot of effort justifying themselves. It's funny how they always seem to have
some innocent and noble reason for invading a country or bombing the civilian
population of that country, isn't it?

In my opinion there are two major reasons why this situation continues,
even though everyone hates it.

The first is a way of thinking that I have named The Badge Mentality. Under
this mentality, you gather round and stay with those people who are wearing
the same badge as you. Even if you maybe do not like a person very much, he is
nevertheless wearing that badge, and it is the same as your badge. Actually,
in a way, you do not even have to bother about making a decision as to whether
you like him. That really does not matter. And why is that?

Because he is wearing the same badge.

And all those other people, the ones who are wearing different badges? We
don't trust them, of course, and we go ahead and obey our so-called leaders
when they order us to kill them.

What form does this badge take? It can be a common nationality or a common
language or a common skin color or even a common interest in a particular
football team. The reason why there is conflict on Earth is because we have
conditioned ourselves to see others as wearers of a badge, and we judge them
by that, rather than trying to see each person as an individual human being.

The second reason for the continuation of this situation is if everyone
blindly accepts the views and explanations of the political leaders, who are
just saying whatever will keep them in office and preserve things as they are.
This is why I say that if today everyone on Earth decided to ignore these
so-called leaders, and instead, each person concentrated on his or her
personal development as a human being, then we would have world peace in a
very short time from now.

And yes, I am talking in terms of around next Tuesday.

But, you might say, maybe it is a little bit selfish to be pursuing
personal development when there is so much trouble in the world? No because
your own personal development is something you can start on right now, right
here, today. And if enough people begin on a program of personal development,
it will not be long before they develop a force too powerful for mere
governments to withstand.

A personal growth revolution can never be imposed from above or from
outside. So if it is going to happen, then it is for you to start it rolling,
where you are, right now.